Interlocking device



Filed Oct. 18, 1954 ATTORNEY May 28, 1957 5 b llylillla Z llll |l2 I y m III IIMII M United States Patent IN TERLOCKING DEVICE Harold S. Meyers, ,Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Waldorf Paper Products 'Co., Wabash, Minm, a corporation of Minnesota Application October 18, 1954, Serial No. 462,685 8 Claims. ((31. 211-49 This invention relates-to an improvement in interlocking devices and dealsparticularly with a manner of interlocking two members together.

In the formation of displays of the type made of corrugated paper board or the like, it is often necessary to lock a pillar or post in an upright position. Many displays are made including a base portion upon which goods .may be placed for display and including a central post extending upwardly from the base to support a display card or the like. The post may be readily held in proper position by cuttingsuitable openings in the top and bottom of the base and inserting the post through these openings. However, with such an arrangement additional reinforcing means must usually be provided for supporting the top panel of the base so that goods may be piled thereupon.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a post support which serves not only to hold the upright standard in a vertical position but also to support the top panel of the base. As a result the cost of production may be considerably reduced.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a panel support which includes a multi-sided standard and a panel designed for support by the standard. The panel is provided with an aperture therethrough shaped to accommodate the vertically extending support extending therethrough. At the junctures between the sides of the multi-sided standard slots are provided so that the standard may be rotated within the panel so that the opening through the panel is out of registry with the support. When in this position the support acts to hold the panel in elevated position or in any desired position above the base of the standard.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the display, a part of the structure being broken away to disclose the interior construction.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the supporting standard and the panel supported thereby.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the supported panel.

f Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the standard in flat In the particular construction illustrated the base of the display A is cylindrical. Obviously the shape of this standard is of little importance to the invention.

In the form of construction illustrated the display includes a generally cylindrical sleeve of paper board or other similar material. A supporting panel 11 is provided within the sleeve 10 and usually spaced from the upper edge 12 of the sleeve so as to provide a rim to prevent the merchandise displayed from sliding from the panel 11.

In order to support the panel 11 a rectangular sleeve 2,793,759 Patented May 28 1957 See 13 of paper board or similar material is provided, the sleeve 13 being of proper dimensions to fit within the cylindrical sleeve '10. Usually in displays of this type a series of intersecting partitions are provided within the outer sleeve so as to support the panel 11 throughout its area. These partition members are somewhat similar to those used in egg-cases, bottle cases and the like to hold fragile objects in spaced relation.

Panel 11 is shown as having a rectangular aperture 14 centrally therein. This aperture 14 may similarly be six or eight sided but is shown in its simpler rectangular form. The aperture 14 is designed to support a vertical .standard of the type which will be more clearlydescribed.

nected to the-panel 19 along a fold line 24 which is designed to overlap the panel 16 and to be stitched or other wise secured thereto.

A slot or notch is provided to intersect each of the fold lines described at a point at equal distance from the bottom of the standard portion. A slot 25 is provided extending transversely of the fold line 20 and into the panels 16 and 17. A similar slot 26 intersects the fold *line 21 and extendsinto the panels 17 and 18. A slot.27 intersects the fold line 22 and extends into the panels 18 and 19. A slot 29 intersects the fold line 24 and extends into the panel 19 and the flap 23. A notch 30 in the edge of the panel 16 registers with the portion of the slot 29 which is in the flap 23 when the standard portion is in tubular form.

The slots described are at a distance from the bottom of the sleeve 10 equal to the height of the sleeve 13 or slightly greater to allow for the thickness of the panel 11. The slots described may be provided with parallel top and bottom edges but in preferred form the slots are slightly diamond shape to simplify the operation of the structure. In order to assemble the structure, it is only necessary to insert the tubular standard portion 15 through the aperture 14 in the panel 11 until the slots described are substantially in the plane of the panel 11. The panel is then rotated with respect to the standard portion 15, the material forming the panel entering the slots. The slots are usually of proper length so that the panel 11 can be rotated approximately forty-five degrees. When this has been accomplished the panel 11 is interlocked with the standard portion 15 and the panel is held from movement longitudinally of the standard. This is important as the standard portion 15 may then be used as a support for the panel 11 and goods of considerable weight can be placed upon the panel 11 without danger of collapsing this panel.

By employing the lock described it has been found possible to eliminate at least four filler panels which have usually been employed. The arrangement has the added advantage that the standard member 15 is held in an upright position by interengagement with the panel 11. In the past the filler panels have served not only to support the panel 11 but also to hold the standard upright. When the standard is interlocked, in the manner described, it is held upright as the various slots are all the same distance from the lower end of this standard member.

The standard also includes one or more telescoping sections such as 31, the standard usually being made in sections so that the structure may be folded into a compact state. The standard member 31 is merely a rectangu'lar sleeve of paper board or the like secured in tubular relation, the lower edge of the standard member resting upon the portions. of the panel 11 which-extend inwardly of the standardlS after the panel has been rotated relative to the standard portion 15. In other words, with reference to Figure 2 of the drawings, the sleeve 31 will rest upon the four triangular areas 32 within the confines of the sleeve 31 When-the two parts are assembled.

In accordance With'the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation-ofmy interlocking devices, and while I have-endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, I desire to-have it-understood thatobvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. An interlocking structure for use in connecting a multi-sided post and a panel, the structure'including a series of notches in the post' at" the juncture of eachpair of adjoining sides thereof,-the'slots being spaced to provide unslotted connecting portions therebetween, the slots being arranged on substantially a common-plane normal to the axis of the post, the panel having an aperture therethrough shaped to'accommodate the post and fit thereabout, portions of the panel surrounding the aperture being engageable in the notches in the post whenthe panel is rotated relative to the axis of the post.

2. The construction described in claim land in which the post is hollow.

3. The construction described in claim 1 and-in which the post is rectangular.

4. The constructiondescribed in claim '1 and in which the post is hollow and rectangular.

5. The construction described in claim 1 and in which the post is hollow, and including a second standard'telescoped into the post and resting upon portions of the panel extending through said slots.

4 6. A display including a generally horizontal panel having a multi-sided aperture therethrough, a sleeve beneath said panel and supporting the same, a standard including a multi-sided post of sheet material in tubular form and of proper outline to fit within the multi-sided aperture in said panel, spaced slots in said standard at the intersection of each pair of adjoining surfaces of said post, said slots being on substantially a common plane normal to the axis of the post, portions of the panel encircling the aperture extending through said slots upon rotation of said panel relative to said post When said panel is in registry with said slots, the portion of said post beneath said slots being substantially equal to the height of said panel supporting means.

7. The structure described in claim 6 and including an outer sleeve encircling said panel and projecting above the same.

8. The construction described in claim 6 and including a second standard member in telescoping relation with the "first standard member, the lower end of the second stand- --ard member resting uponthe portions of the panel extending through the slots.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 362,716 vBroughton May 10, 1887 1,132,021 Mark etal. Mar. 16, 1915 71,497,806 Stenman June 17, 1924 2,063,393 McIver Dec. 8, 1936 2,429,190 McArthur Oct. 14, 1947 2,663,104 Hoagland Dec. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,751 Australia Mar. 29, 1927 

